Description

Pine Tree is somewhat of a nemesis at the grade for many and a favorite to others. Though it is a crack climb, it is not very straightforward, and you might do well to keep an eye out for some foot holds on the face. Lots of jamming and some odd undercling jams will get you to my favorite jug at Cathedral at about halfway. Continue up some much more straightforward climbing to a root that leads to the top. At that point you can decide your ethics on grabbing the root or avoiding it.

Pine Tree is highly recommended for its interesting moves and awesome exposed positioning.

Location

Right above the route Thin Air (5.6), there is a face with a few cracks that look like they need to be climbed. The one on the right, the wider one, is Pine Tree Eliminate.

Protection

Standard rack. Pine Tree is well protected all the way. Belay from trees at the top.

I don't think this is as well protected as the route description implies. The crack flares inward making it difficult the get the right sized cams into the crack in the first place. I always end up spending more time than I want to fiddling with gear on this thing. Maybe it's just me, but I have a hard time protecting this one.

I've climbed this crack 10 or more times, that might be why I feel it is so well protected but...I know where everything goes.... Nuts are totaly key.... Climb it slow and find the gear, I've seen people sew it up....

I agree with Jay, while climbing Play Misty with a UNH outdoor ed. teacher during a trad. leading workshop we saw a fellow student deck after her second piece popped out. She dropped the class but was physicaly unhurt. Take your time and place good gear near the bottom, the flaring nature of the crack means that it takes experience to place good pro.

since my last post on this route i've climbed it about 3 more times and i always place 1 cam in the bottom to keep from zippering then all nuts to the top, i never even think about cams on route anymore as they are way trickier to place for the most part... While i agree that this is not a good lead for a beginner there is no reason to fear if you know how to place solid nuts...

I found the first two or so placements to be a bit tenuous but after that found the protection to be closely spaced and quite solid. As to the moves, I think it is more intimidating than hard since there are good jugs and jams where you need them. A lot of the best holds, though, can be hidden or seem to come right after hard or thin moves.

I have also seen someone deck from this route ... be careful to protect ledge-fall (and zippering!), the ground is closer than you think.

This route can be 5.8. Unless you climb it like the crack that it is (ie, minimize your use of feet on the face), and find the good stances, it can seem much harder, very quickly, and more so than other routes. The pro does sometimes take a moment to get right, but it's 100% G.

I've been up thin air a hand full of times and finally did this route today. Everything is there if you look for it including a couple no hands rest, and nuts are definitely key. I think I only used two cams.

I tried to do it with cams, including a micro in the right side of that blocky looking formation about 15-20 feet up. It pulled out as I climbed past it, which had never happened to me before. Fortunately I had a good stance and was able to place better gear right away. I lowered, let a friend try it, then led it again successfuly. I don't have loads of trad experience, but the second try went MUCH better and I was able to send it fairly clean.

Second time I placed some cams, but several nuts and tri-cams as well.

Amazing route, sent yesterday soaking wet, it has bomber finger locks. The start is slippery, seems lots of people get on it. I think best route of the grade at Cathedral. It eats up nuts pretty well. Little but easy runout after the second bulge to the trees.

My first 5.8 crack. Totally awesome. Worth a shot even if you need to bail it's easy to rap down from the top to clean your gear. Do it, you'll love it. VERY wet start ledge I ended up putting my approach shoes over the water, (then put my climbing shoes on). I then stepped from the side on top of them to start the climb with dry feet.

Just did this yesterday and it was fun, but I sewed it up because I was pretty terrified. I must have placed about 10-12 pieces of gear and would have placed more if I had enough slings/draws. Great way to finish up after Thin Air though!

Pro's great the whole way up. Spoiler alert - you can protect the wide section with a green C3, to the left of the crack in a small feature on the face. Awesome climb!! A must-do after coming up the Thin Air face.